Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin 1-3-2021
Bible TextPsalm 71:1-3
Date02-Jan-2021
Article Type Bulletin
Audio HI-FI Listen: Why This Years Trials? (32 kbps)
Audio CD Quality Listen: Why This Years Trials? (128 kbps)
 

January 3, 2021

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

 

Meeting Location and Mailing Address

251 Green Lane

Ewing, NJ, 08638

Clay Curtis, pastor

Telephone: 615-513-4464

Clay@FreeGraceMedia.com

 

Schedule of Services

Sunday 10: 15 AM Bible Class

Sunday 11:00 AM Morning Service

Thursday 7: 30 PM Midweek Service

 

Services Broadcast Live @ www.FreeGraceMedia.com/live

 

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NURSERY

We have a nursery equipped with a digital flat screen television broadcasting all services live, for children four and under.  

All articles by the pastor unless otherwise noted.

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SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE: The videos are now listed as individual sermons, as well as full servicesclick here.

 

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Proverbs 15: 27: He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

 

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“Upon a review of the past year, I desire to confess, that my unfruitfulness has been exceeding great; my sins still greater; and God’s mercies greater than both. My shortcomings and misdoings, my unbelief and want of love would sink me into the lowest hell, was not Jesus my righteousness and my redeemer.”  Augustus Toplady

 

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Our Lord’s Commission for the New Year

 

On this first Sunday of the New Year we have much for which to rejoice and give thanks. As we lift our hearts in praise and gratitude for God’s manifold blessings, let us remember the commission which our Lord has given us. We are here upon this earth for only one purpose. It is that we may faithfully perform the work committed to us by our risen Lord – “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16).

 

      We cannot save sinners. But we can point them to the Savior. Let us seek opportunities to spread the gospel. Let us become actively engaged in the sweet and satisfying work of evangelism. As we go through this world, day by day, we have the responsibility of bearing witness to Christ before men. God has given us the gospel of his glory and grace, not to hide, but to proclaim to all men everywhere. Let us put our shoulders to the work and go do it. Don Fortner (Grace Bulletin 1/3/82)

 

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Recently I was conversing with a family member who was talking about the rough year (2020) that they’ve had in Nashville, Tennessee.  Reference was made to the tornado, the Coronavirus, and the recent bombing. As those three things were mentioned, all I could think about was the fact that my Sovereign Lord and omnipotent God sent them all. The tornado? “He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.” (Psalm 135:7) The Coronavirus? “The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning…” (Deuteronomy 28:22) One might ask, “How was God behind the bombing?” “…shall there be evil (adversity, calamity) in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? (Amos 3:6) How comforting and assuring it is to know that the One who loved me and gave Himself for me is ruling and reigning and working all things together for my good. (Romans 8:28) Child of God, what comfort, peace, rest and assurance is found in the Almighty with Whom we have to do!            David Eddmenson


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We think if we could only put away all our doubts, fears, sins, sorrows, unbelief and indifference all would be well with us in this life.  Not so. Our Father in his holy Wisdom teaches us individually that it is better to confess, “My times are in Thy hands."  By great trouble, God brought David to pray,  “Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me and hear me. Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort.”  That is exactly what God is doing by all these troubles. He shows us we have no strength but Christ.  He causes us to trust in the LORD.  He causes us to cry for Christ our Righteousness to deliver us.  He causes us to escape by making us resort to Christ our Strong Habitation.  Spurgeon said, “It was well for Jacob that he had an Esau with armed men to drive him to his God. He could say afterwards, “It was good for me to have been afflicted.” Anything that brings us into close fellowship with God, however evil in itself, works for us the grandest form of good.”

"Sovereign Ruler of the skies,

Ever gracious, ever wise,

All my times are in Thy hand,

All events at Thy command."

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The true believer does not love sin; he loves Christ and holiness.  He would like to be perfect and without even the thought of sin, and he longs for the day when this promise in Christ will be a reality.  He grieves over his sins, mourns over his infirmities, and feels that he is, indeed the chief offender.  He does not excuse nor justify his sins but owns and confesses them daily.  While he is aware of that new man created in Christ Jesus, which delights in the law of God, he is also aware of the old man which causes him so much grief and anguish.  That old nature is such that even the most devout believer will sin until he dies.  Sin pollutes the very best thing that he does.  Sin even mars his repentance, stains his tears, corrupts his faith, and invades his prayers.  The best thing that he has ever done or will ever do apart from the merits of Christ would but increase his guilt.  The degree of goodness to which he could attain on this earth has enough creature infirmity in it to merit nothing but God’s wrath.  “O wretched man that I am.”  As Mr. Spurgeon once said, “Sin is my name; sin is my nature; to deny it is to deceive myself and call my God a liar.  But thank God, if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.”                                                                                    Henry Mahan

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Psalm 22: 28: For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.

 

Think on this, brethren.  Our Substitute who put away our sin by the sacrifice of himself, our Advocate who ever lives to make intercession for us, our Judge who declares we are completely innocent of all guilt before his holy judgment seat, is also our Governor constantly governing with equity all our interest in this present evil world.  For each of his own, our Governor will execute judgment and do only what is best for us.  He will not deny his governing hand to those he has washed in his blood.  And that is not all.  The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” (Ps 9:9)  Who will enter this Stronghold?  “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee” (Ps 9: 10).

 

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"All the love of God, the goodness of God, the holiness of God, all his happiness, bliss, and blessedness, all his might, majesty, and glory, shining forth in the Person of his dear Son in the blaze of one eternal, unclouded day—this is the saint's inheritance.”  JC Philpot